These Beautiful Images Were Taken By a Photographer Who Can’t See

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Jun 28, 2015

Before 2013, fine art photography was off limits to me. I couldn’t see in a darkroom, much less the settings on a camera, so I was resigned to taking family snapshots on disposable cameras.

But a simple point-and-shoot camera and a 47-inch computer monitor and a little courage changed all of that.

I realized photos didn’t have to be perfect to be interesting–or artistic.

Sometimes I am asked, “How can you take pictures if you’re legally blind?”

Well, my camera sees for me. Although I love color, I prefer black and white because I see best in high contrast. The world around me is very blurry, and I use my residual vision to work as a photographer. I can see the blurry shape of a subject, and the camera captures what I can’t see while my monitor makes a face or a rose two feet tall, which is easier for me to make out.

In the last 2 years, my photography has been published in literary journals, art magazines, and photography publications around the world.

I want to show the world the fine art photographer that I am, and what is possible when you meet a challenge in a different way.

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High End Distillers Join the Fight Against Food Waste

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Good News Network

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Jun 28, 2015

Makers of high-end spirits are buying overripe, misshapen, and undersized fruit directly from farmers across America, doing their part to reduce food waste.

From California to Colorado, Oregon to Michigan, distillers are using tons of fruit that would otherwise go to waste because they are too flawed to be sold to consumers.

For 15 Years He Collected Leftover Office Toilet Paper for the Poor

“To produce 10,000 cases of artisanal spirits annually, including pear eaux de vie and apple brandy, Clear Creek Distillery partnered with a packing house to buy upwards of 600,000 pounds of pears a year, using up to 30 pounds of fruit for each bottle,” reports Civileats.com.

“It goes from a pear worth two cents to a bottle of spirits that retails for $80.”

(READ the full story from Civil Eats) – Photo by MTSOfan, CC

Watch Obama Sing Amazing Grace at Pastor’s Funeral

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Good News Network

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Jun 27, 2015

During an emotional eulogy at the funeral for a pastor killed in the church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, President Obama broke into song, leading the congregation in the classic Christian hymn, Amazing Grace.

“Amazing grace – how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me; I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind but now I see.”

Watch Obama Sing Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” and Get It For a Ringtone

“Clementa Pinckney found that grace,” Obama concluded. “Cynthia Hurd found that grace. Susie Jackson found that grace. Ethel Lance found that grace. DePayne Middleton-Doctor found that grace. Tywanza Sanders found that grace. Daniel L. Simmons, Sr. found that grace. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton found that grace. Myra Thompson found that grace.”

“Through the example of their lives, they’ve now passed it on to us,” he added. “May we find ourselves worthy of that precious and extraordinary gift, as long as our lives endure. May grace now lead them home.”

(WATCH the video below or READ the President’s full remarks at WhiteHouse.gov)

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New Record for Scottish Wind Farms, Power for Nearly 1Mil Homes

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Good News Network

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Jun 27, 2015

In the first three months of 2015, wind farms in Scotland produced a record amount of electricity, enough to power 960,000 Scottish households for an entire year, according to government data released Thursday.

In 2014, Scotland satisfied nearly half of its total energy consumption with renewable sources like wind, solar and hydro-electric. Elsewhere, the statistics reveal renewables generated 19.6 per cent of UK electricity in 2014 and hit a record 22.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2015, according to Business Green.

Growth in Scottish renewables is running into stiff headwinds, however, with the UK announcing recently a cut to financial subsidies for the offshore wind farms.

(READ the full story from Business Green)

General Mills to Remove Artificial Flavors, Colors From All Cereals

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Good News Network

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Jun 27, 2015

It still may taste “magically delicious,” but Lucky Charms will soon undergo a makeover that could change the look of its yellow moons, pink hearts and green clovers.

To keep up with consumer demand for natural ingredients, the General Mills company announced this week a commitment to removing artificial flavors and artificial colors from the rest of its cereals by the end of next year. Instead of dyes like Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 6, the company will use natural sources to color its popular breakfast foods.

This is good news because artificial dyes, which are essentially petroleum by-products, have been linked to attention problems and hyperactivity in children. General Mills joins a host of companies, like Nestle and Kraft in a race toward healthier foods.

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“We’ve continued to listen to consumers who want to see more recognizable and familiar ingredients on the labels and challenged ourselves to remove barriers that prevent adults and children from enjoying our cereals.”

To get the familiar red, yellow and orange colors in Trix cereal, for instance, the company will be using spice extracts–annatto and turmeric– and fruit and vegetable juice, from sources like beets and berries.

General Mills Cereals plans to have more than 90 percent of the portfolio free of artificial colors and flavors by the end of 2016. Trix and Reese’s Puffs will be among the first to change, while cereals that contain marshmallows, like Lucky Charms, will take longer.

In January, 2014 General Mills turned to all non-GMO ingredients for it’s Cheerios brand. It has converted its entire line of Big G cereals so that whole grains are the first, most prominent, ingredient and, by 2011, the company had lowered sugar levels in all cereals advertised to kids so they contained 10 grams of sugar or less per serving.

(READ more from the Washington Post)

Pizza Restaurant “Pies it Forward” in Florida

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Good News Network

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Jun 27, 2015

Soon after pizza lover Phil Solorzano opened his family’s fourth restaurant in a Florida beach town, he started a “Pie It Forward” movement that is making a huge difference for those who are short on cash.

On April 29, after a customer didn’t want the drink that was included with his meal at Solorzano’s Late Night Pizzeria, Phil agreed to simply “give it to the next guy.”

Following the kindness model started by a Philadelphia pizza shop, a sticky note was placed on the Coke machine behind the counter so a future customer could have that drink instead.

“We had our first ‘‎Pay It Forward Wall’ situation when this kid who lost his wallet needed some food,” Phil said. “He couldn’t believe we did this.”

The wall had 15 stickers on it by the end of the first night, and the ‘Pie it Forward Wall’ was born.

Customers are also donating their money for extra slices of pizza, and even dropping as much as $100 in the store’s Paypal account so that anyone without cash can enjoy the Italian style cuisine. Phil estimates the donations have already totaled thousands of dollars in the two months since that first drink was paid forward.

Purple Cajun Food Truck Dishes Up Plates to Anyone in Need

The restaurant, at 6670 Superior Ave in Sarasota, is also using the program to give away its own pizza.

FrankSinatra-pizza-chef-submitted-PhilSolorzano — We are the real deal, straight out of Hoboken New Jersey, like Sinatra –Phil Solorzano

“We’re taking this to the next level,” the New Jersey native declared.

“We don’t just do it in the store,” he told Good News Network. “There’s a couple spots in the city with a lot of homeless people, so when pizza is about three hours old, I throw it in the box and get in my pizza truck and take it to them.”

“There’s so many positive vibes from everyone. Everyone’s talking about it. Every day people come to work, and everyone’s happy,” he said. “We’re never gonna stop doing this.”

The businessman has applied for a trademark on #PieItForwardWall and has set up a Fundly account if you’d like to donate.

(WATCH the WFLA video below) – Story tip from Carilyn

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Veteran Makes it His New Mission to Hand Out Hugs

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Linda Hernandez

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Jun 26, 2015

An Iraq war veteran is on a different type of tour these days – traveling the country to find healing…through hugs.

Ian Cooke suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder since returning from his deployment in Iraq, and says he’s discovered a unique method of recovery.

Four months ago he left his Portland, Oregon home to start the Human Hug Project – a mission to spread love to others through a simple embrace.

So far, Cooke and his friends have traveled more than 25,000 miles across the country, visiting different Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, and hugging whoever is willing to hold onto a stranger.

“A hug is something I was so disconnected from, for so many years, that it’s kind of my new medicine”, Cooke told WRTV. “And it starts to take the pain of those memories and instead replace that with a sense of brotherhood and appreciation and it gives you hope.”

(WATCH video below or READ more from WRTV)

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Charleston: Out of Tragedy Comes Kindness

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Good News Network

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Jun 26, 2015

Beautiful acts of kindness and compassion often surface in the wake of tragedy, and that is what’s happened in Charleston, South Carolina over the past week, throughout the community and beyond.

“You know, the antidote for hate is love,” said Minister Joyce Wright at a prayer vigil Monday attended by members of both black and white churches. “The cure for hate is togetherness.”

Instead of retribution, Alana Simmons, whose grandfather was killed in the church shooting, is calling for compassion on social media by creating a powerful hashtag: #HateWontWin. She, along with her family, is asking everyone to post pictures that depict people spreading love and compassion to demonstrate that human beings are capable of “more than hate.”

“We are here to combat hate-filled actions with love-filled actions,” Simmons told the New York Times. “And that is what we want to get out to the world.”

A photo posted by Amber Nicole G. (@amber_nicole1983) on Jun 25, 2015 at 6:42am PDT

Families have responded by writing songs of hope, painting pictures, and delivering flowers. A 7-year-old girl who lives just miles away from Emanuel AME Church, is honoring the victims through her artwork, while a white singing group in North Carolina has recorded a song called, All Good People.

Other local children have shared their messages of love and support for the victims and their families, bringing flowers, posters and artwork to a growing memorial at the base of the church.

The Mother Emmanuel Hope Fund, a website set up by the city of Charleston to collect donations, has raised nearly $700,000 for funeral expenses for the victims and for the AME Church.

Black Students Stand Arm in Arm with White Cops to ‘End the Pain’ (WATCH)

The NFL football team Carolina Panthers donated $100,000 to the fund. Team owner Jerry Richardson sent a letter asking that $10,000 go to each of the families and that the remaining $10,000 be used for a memorial at the church.

$100,000 has been donated to the newly developed Lowcountry Ministries / Reverend Pinckney Fund, to be put towards the at-risk youth projects he championed as leader of the church.

Photo: Hate Won’t Win Facebook

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Chris Pratt En-Raptors Kids at Children’s Hospital

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Good News Network

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Jun 26, 2015

Chris Pratt inspired zookeepers everywhere to post photos of themselves imitating the actor’s now infamous “raptor-taming” stance from his most recent movie, Jurassic World.

His most captive audience to date, though, may be the children at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who received personal instructions on how to move, firsthand.

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Pratt reportedly spent three hours with the children over the weekend, coloring, handing out lego sets, and having a wildly good time.

(READ more at TODAY.com)—Photo: Chrysalis on Reddit

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Heroic Teen: “I Left a Pizza Boy and Returned a Pizza Man”

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Good News Network

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Jun 26, 2015

Anson Lemmer, 19, wrote his own headline when he remarked to fellow Uncle Pizza coworkers, “I left a pizza boy…and returned a pizza man!”

When the Glenwood Springs, Colorado delivery boy arrived at his last stop of the night, he found the customer outside of his home, blue in the face and unconscious.

The Red Cross training Lemmer received at age 12 immediately came in handy, and he managed to keep the man alive until paramedics arrived on the scene. Thanks to Lemmer, the man is expected to make a full recovery.

(WATCH the video below from KDVR and READ the full story at the Post Independent.) —Photo: KDVR

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8-Year-Old Deaf Basketball Champ Has Sights Set on NBA

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Good News Network

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Jun 26, 2015

The NBA draft may have just wrapped, but 8-year-old Zeke Ortiz is coming for them—and one day, he may be their first deaf player.

Recently, Zeke, who lives in Frederick, Maryland, left his deaf team to join a more competitive league. Now he is the only player on the team who is hearing impaired.

His dad, Tony, who is also deaf, started coming to every game and has begun interpreting for his son.

Zeke’s coaches started uses drawings and gestures to communicate, and the kids on the team have even developed their own sign language.

The youngster is well on his way to all-star status: this weekend, he will be playing with his team in the National Championships.

(WATCH the video from NBC above)

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Teen Celebrated for Building Star Wars Fighter Jet Around His Wheelchair

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Linda Hernandez

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Jun 26, 2015

13-year-old Matthew Tillyer, who’s been paralyzed for two years due to complications from pneumonia, recently won first place for turning his wheelchair into a Star Wars TIE Fighter for a costume contest in California.

The young fan’s Twin Ion Engine replica also won the admiration of from the 501st Legion, a global Star Wars costuming group.

Matthew, however, was missing a pilot’s uniform, and word of that quickly spread across the Empire. Thankfully, a team of 501st members collected armor and parts to make the costume and surprised him with it last weekend.

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“At first I thought there was just some 501st event going on,” Matthew told Huffington Post. “I was speechless with excitement. I was screaming on the inside but couldn’t say anything.”

Matthew was also presented with an honorary TIE pilot certificate and a special patch for his uniform, and the group raised $1,500 to help cover his medical expenses.

A YouCaring page has been set up to raise funds for his treatments, and a Facebook page for Matthew includes photos from the surprise and words of encouragement from fellow Star Wars fans.

(WATCH video below or READ more at Huffington Post) – Photo: Prayers For Matthew Tillyer Facebook

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One-of-a-Kind School Gives Homeless Kids a Place to Learn

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Terese Schlachter

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Jun 25, 2015

Homeless kids across the country face unimaginable obstacles when it comes to something as simple as trying to attend school each day.

Fortunately, one school in San Diego is helping relieve that burden by providing stability and a number of special resources for its students.

The Monarch School is one of a few schools in the United States that caters specifically to kids who are homeless, giving them access to showers, laundry facilities, meals, after school programs, and, of course, a full roster of academic classes.

“How can children focus on school if their tummies are growling, their shoes don’t fit, and they don’t even know where they are going to be sleeping the next day?” Michelle Candland, a Rotary club member, told The Rotarian.

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The Monarch’s doors first opened to children in 1987 under the combined auspices of the San Diego County Office of Education and the juvenile court system. Back then, kids had to make their way through crowds of panhandlers and drug dealers to get inside the door of the two-room store front.

Thanks to the efforts of Cortland and the local Rotary club, the school eventually moved into a 10,000 square foot warehouse. Classrooms were crowded, though, so the Rotary club got behind a 15-million-dollar fundraising effort, bought the old San Diego Housing Commission building, and set about upgrading the 51-thousand square foot facility.

First City in the US to Find Homes for All its Homeless Veterans

As the environment improved, so did attendance. Students’ scores on the California Academic Performance Index are slowly creeping up, and grades are improving.

Monarch School has been described as “public service at its best” by outside agencies. The name “Monarch” was chosen by the students, referencing the action of a butterfly emerging from a cocoon.

(READ more from the CS Monitor) – Photo: Monarch Facebook Page

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Etch A Sketch Artist Creates Amazing Portraits in Two Minutes

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Linda Hernandez

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Jun 25, 2015

A Los Angeles-based artist uses a unique medium for his masterpieces.

Christoph Brown creates tiny portraits of people with his nimble fingers and a mini Etch A Sketch.

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Most find it difficult to draw anything with the popular toy – let alone the detailed creations Brown is able to craft in only two minutes.

But they don’t last. At 200-500 dollars apiece, his works of art are only temporary – one shake and they’re gone.

(WATCH the artist in action below) – Photo: WFAA video

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“See-Through” Trucks Will Allow Drivers to See the Highway Ahead

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Terese Schlachter

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Jun 25, 2015

Getting stuck behind a high-and-wide truck on a two-lane road has its hazards—fortunately, Samsung has developed new technology for a Safety Truck, which gives the illusion of being transparent.

Actually, the technology is comprised of a four-panel screen mounted on the back of the trailer. A live video is streamed to the screens from a wireless night vision camera in the front of the truck, so drivers behind can see what the truck driver sees: oncoming traffic.

The folks at Samsung think the safety screen will stop drivers from moving into an on-coming traffic lane to see what’s ahead.

Girl Sends A Message to Dad in Space Using 11 Cars

“This allows drivers to have a better view when deciding whether it is safe to overtake a truck,” wrote Samsung on their blog. “Another advantage of the Safety Truck is that it may reduce the risk of accidents caused by sudden braking or animals crossing the road.”

The prototype was tested in Argentina, which has a high rate of head-on vehicle collisions with its many two-lane roads.

(WATCH the video below or READ more at Samsung)

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Watch What Happens As Boy With Cerebral Palsy Tries to Finish Race #TBT

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Alan Wallace

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Jun 25, 2015

On Throwback Thursday, we’ve got a video you may have missed from 2012…

It was race day at Colonial Hills Elementary School in Columbus, Ohio, and 11-year-old Matt Woodrum, who has cerebral palsy, was trailing behind his classmates. He was determined to finish the 400-meter race, though, and kept on going.

Along the way, gym teacher John Blaine decided to catch up with him, and that teacher started a field-wide movement that is sure to move you, too. Check it out in the ABC News video above to see it all unfold.

#TBT suggestion from Alan Wallace

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Police Officer Pulls Over to Give Girl at Lemonade Stand Special Gift

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Good News Network

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Jun 25, 2015

Nine-year-old Gabrielle Garcar wanted an iPad more than anything. Because her family is struggling financially, she set up a lemonade stand outside of her grandmother’s Ohio condo in hopes of raising the money herself.

When 22-year-old sheriff’s deputy Zak Ropos stopped by for a cup of the sweet stuff and learned what the little girl wanted to do with the money—use the device for schoolwork, and to play games on—he pulled her mother over and told her he’d check to see if the old iPad he had at home was still useable.

It wasn’t. But instead of calling it a day, he bought her a brand new one.

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“She’s 9 years old and she’s willing to work for what she wants, and I found that very admirable of her,” Ropos told TODAY.com. “I knew her lemonade stand wasn’t probably going to bring in enough money for a tablet.”

Ropos is surprised his actions have become so widely celebrated—the photo above got 2 million views on the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page—especially since, he said, he works with lots of generous cops, including two deputies who bought a boy a bike to help him get to soccer practice and a lieutenant who recently donated $200 to a needy family.

(READ more at TODAY.com) — Photo: Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Facebook

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Girl Told She Wouldn’t Talk, Now a Singing Sensation

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Linda Hernandez

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Jun 25, 2015

A Buffalo, New York teenager who was told she’d never be able to talk has found her voice – and it’s pitch-perfect.

19-year-old Amber Simone was born with a birth defect that required surgeries at just six months old – operations that doctors warned would potentially affect her ability to speak.

Amber’s surprising recovery saved her voice, and a friend recently recorded her singing at a pool party, and posted the video. Nobody expected it to get over two million views between Facebook and YouTube.

New Yorkers Find Bono and U2 Singing in the Subway

“It’s hard to grasp,” Amber told WGRZ-TV. “I have confidence, but I never thought me sitting by the pool, a random video would be so viral.”

The Buffalo State College student is now studying music and psychology, and working with local producers on original songs.

(WATCH Amber perform below or READ more at WGRZ-TV) – Photo: WGRZ video

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Rescued Baby Lamb Walks Again Thanks to Tote Bag Rehab

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Good News Network

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Jun 25, 2015

When the folks at Edgar’s Mission in Australia found little Soda Pop, she was not in good shape.

The lamb seemed very determined to live, though, and Pam Ahern, Founder and Director of the animal rescue, was determined to find a way that could help her walk again.

Pam fashioned a tote bag with four holes in it, one for each leg, and held little Soda Pop up as she tried to help her gain strength in her legs.

Within a few days, the little lamb seemed happier after all the nursing and all the little kisses Pam gave her.

“Her wonderful story is an important reminder that our greatest glories lie not in falling, but in rising every time we fall,” said Pam.

By the end of the week, Soda Pop triumphed and was walking on her own.

Edgar’s Mission documented the lambs journey to recovery in a series of videos.

(WATCH the moment she first walked below) Photos: Edgar’s Mission

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KIND Bars #Kindawesome Campaign Inspires 1 Million Acts Of Kindness

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McKinley Corbley

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Jun 25, 2015

We’re all familiar with KIND Bars, the tasty snacks that brag about their “ingredients list that you can pronounce.”

What you may not know is that they’ve been running a campaign that has resulted in over one million acts of kindness as part of their #kindawesome initiative, which celebrates random acts of kindness from strangers.

The incentive? Free KIND bars, of course, and a voucher for you to pass along to a fellow do-gooder.

For the last twelve years, KIND Bars Founder and CEO, Daniel Lubetzky, has been working to bring kindness to all corners of his community. The corporation has done everything from backing a nonprofit every month with $10,000, to setting up “flower walls” in the city so strangers can pick a flower and pass it on to someone who needs a smile.

The #kindawesome campaign was born because Daniel also believes that everyone’s kindness should be rewarded.

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If Daniel or a KIND employee sees someone performing an act of selfless kindness, they will celebrate the gesture by giving them a voucher for a free KIND Bar, along with another voucher to pass on to someone else. Twitter and Instagram are all flooded with hash-tagged pictures and stories about the contagious feelings of happiness that were born.

Daniel credits the inspiration for the movement to his father, telling USA Today that while his dad was in a concentration camp during the Holocaust, a German soldier took pity on his hunger and threw a potato at his feet. Daniel says that he was always very touched by this story, and that it must have taken a lot of courage for a soldier to show kindness to his enemy.

If you know of someone that could use some recognition for their kindness, send an email to [email protected] and tell them all about it.

(WATCH Daniel talk about his passion for kindness in the video below)

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